Stopper or closure



Nov. 15, 1932. T. A. STEVENS sToPPER on cLosURE Filed July 5, 1929Patented Nov. 15, 1932 UNITED STATES THOMAS ARTHUR STEVENS, OF

WOLVEBHAMPTON, ENGLAND STOPPER R CLOSURE Application led July 6, 1929,Serial No. 376,308, and in Great Britain July 6, 1928. i

This invention comprises certain improve-. ments in or relating toStoppers or closures, and it has for its object to provide a stopper orclosure member which can be quickly attached or detached and which is soconstructed that should the cap slack back, through vibration of themember carrying the stopper, the seal will still be maintained. A liquidtight joint is also normally obtained without relying on spring pressureand leakage is prevented. The device is simple and cheap to manufacture.

According to the present improvements, the removable cap or cover of thedevice is held on the fixed neck by means of a wedge or cam action, thecap or cover ybeing engaged over the neck of the stopper and rotated sothat the cap is drawn downwardly on the neck to thus seal the openingtherein. A stop is provided which limits the backward rotation of thiscap so that, shouldthe cap rotate in a backward direction due tovibration or other causes, such cap cannot be completely removed withoutfirst releasing the cap from the stop. Means are also provided so that aliquid seal is still maintained even should the cap slack back.

Referring to the drawing Figure 1,is a side elevation of a closuredevice constructed according to this invention showing the cap inposition before it is forced` down by projections thereon engaging underinclined shoulders on thel neck of the container.

"Figure 2 is an interior view of the cap, shown by Figure 1, detached.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the neck of the container on which the cap isfixed.

Figure 4 is a side view, in develo the neck shown by Figure 3. j

Figure 5 is a central cross-sectional view of the Closureshown by Figurel, and

Figure 6 shows in side elevation, the various parts of the closuredetached. c j According to 'a convenient embodimente-S ,applied to astopper for petrol or other tanks. the neck 1 of the tank is formed.with two diametrically opposite slots 2. A collar o on each side of theslots is so shaped that wedge shaped shoulders 3 are formed. A

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tongue or stop is provided on each side of the slot, one tongue 4.-forming a stop to prevent release of the cap by vibration, whilst theother tongue 5 forms a stop to give registering position for the releaseof the cap. The cap has a rim 6 which is of reduced dii meter at theouter end, the upper portion forming an annular recess 7. Twodiametrically opposite internal projections 8 are pressed from the edgeof the rimof the cap. These projections pass through the recesses 2 and,when the cap' is rotated, the ,edges thereof engage -the Wedge shoulders3. A cup-shaped member 9 has a leather or like sealing ring 10 fixednear the periphery of 65 an outwardly directed flange 11. The outwardlydirected flange 11 on they cup fits inside the annular recess 7 of thecap, and has a limited axial movement there-in. A cornpression spring 12is fitted inside the cup 70 and bears at one end on said cup and at theother end on the inside of the cap. This spring ensures thatthe sealingring will be tightly pressed against the rim of the stopper when thewedging action is inoperative, and that'the projections on the cap arein Contact with the inclined or wedge shoulder. When the cap istightened down the sealing washer is clamped between the cap and theneck 1, and the pressure of the spring is not operative for sealingpurposes. vShould the cap rotate in a backward direction throughvibration or other causes, the projections 8 thereon will abut against.the stopy 4 formed near the recesses in the neck and thereby preventthe cap being completely disengaged from the neck without irst pressingthe cap downwardly, against the action of the spring, until the lugs arebelow the stop 4; the cap can lthen be rotated a small amount to bringtheprojections 8 and recesses 2 into regis- To prevent the capbeingrotated beyond the release registering position the stop 5 is of greaterdepth than the stop 4 so that when the cap is rotated the projections 8will abut against the stop 5.

i At the centre of the cup of theplate 9, a raised portion 9a is formed.An`air vent hole 13 is formed therein, said air vent being preferablyout of register with a vent hole 100 18A formed in the dome of the cap.A second cup-shaped plate 14 is fixed to the underside of the plate 9 bymeans of a rivet 17, and the rim fits against the underside of thesealing ring 10, so that such ringris clamped between this rim and therim 11. This plate 14 has a raised portion 14a which lies opposite theraised portion 9a to form an interior chamber 16, and an air vent hole15 is formed preferably in the centre of the plate 14. A chamber 19 isalso formed between the plate 9 and the underside of the cap, sothat anpetrol or the like which is splashedjrthrough the lower vent hole 15into the chamber 16 will not be liable to escape through the vent 18 inthe cap. The petrol entering the chamber 16 will either ow back throughthe lower vent hole or Creep up the joint between the two plates andthen back into the tank. The gas pressure in the chamber 16 between thetwo plates is, in relation to the gas pressure in the chamber 19, suchthat any petrol or liquid which reaches the inside of said chamber 16will not be assisted to escape through the air vent hole 13 formed inthe top of the chamber. The rim 11 of the plate 9, before assembly, isconical so that it is of a diameter to pass into the cap, the flangebeing pressed flat to engage in the annular recess 7. The sealing washeror member may be of any other desired construction, the form illustratedforming the subject matter of a pending application.

I claim:

1. A stopper or closure comprising a cap having internal projections onthe side wall, a neck on the container, inclined shoulders on theexternal surface of the neck with openings between the shoulders throughwhich the said projections pass to engage under the shoulders, a sealingwasher located in the cap and adapted to be gripped between the insideof the cap and the seating on the neck of the container when the cap isturned to engage the projections under the inclined shoulders, a springlocated between the sealing washer and the cap to maintain the sealingwasher on the neck should the cap slack back and relieve its clampinggrip on the washer, and stops on the inclined shoulders, at the innerend adjacent the said openings between the shoulders, over which thesaid projections on the cap have to be moved against the pressure ofsaid spring, to engage or disengage the projections over i Vthe saidstops on the shoulders.

2. A stopper or closure comprisinga cap having internal projections onthe side wall,

aneck on the container, inclined shouldersl on the external surface ofthe neck with openings between the shoulders through` which the saidprojections pass to engage under the shoulders, a sealing washerlongitudinally movable in a recess in the internal wall of the cap, andadapted to be lclamped directly between the inside of the cap and theneck of the container when the cap is turned to engage the projectionsunder the inclined shoulders, a spring located between the sealingwasher and the cap to maintain the sealing washer on the neck should thecap slack back and relieve its clamping grip on the washer, stops on theinclined shoulders at the inner end adjacent the said openings betweenthe shoulders over which the said projections on the cap have to bemoved against the pressure of said spring, to engage or disengage theprojections over the said stops on the shoulders, and stops on the rearend of the inclined shoulders adjacent the openings aforementioned tomaintain the projections in register with these openings when the cap isto be removed.

In testimony whereof I have signed .this specification.` l

Birmingham, England, this 20th day of June, 1929. l

THOMAS ARTHUR STEVENS.

